The present invention relates to modified olefinic polymers superior in water- and oil-repellency. More particularly, it is concerned with modified ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymers obtained by fluorinating ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymers having specific properties.
Fluorinated polyethylenes have heretofore been produced with a view to improving water- and oil-repellency, using mainly high density polyethylenes obtained by medium and low pressure processes or low density polyethylenes obtained by a high pressure process. However, the fluorinated polyethylenes obtained from those starting materials are still not satisfactory in point of water- and oil-repellency.
In order to further enhance the performance of the fluorinated product obtained it is necessary to adopt severer conditions of fluorination. In many cases, however, this results in undesirable side reactions such as change in quality, deterioration or decomposition of the starting polyethylene.
Under such circumstances it has been desired to develop a novel fluorinated polymer obtained under milder fluorination conditions and superior in water- and oil-repellency.